Free Web NovelChapter 2: The Ghost Bride Is Mentally Collapsing
Golden light spun before Shen Yu’s eyes like a miniature galaxy.
The cramped coffin disappeared beneath the brilliance. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Then—
A card slowly revealed itself.
Black edges.
Silver symbols.
At the center was a crimson skull wrapped in chains.
[Card Draw Complete.]
[Obtained: Pain Resistance Lv.1]
[Effect: Reduces physical pain by 10%]
Shen Yu blinked.
"That’s it?"
The excitement on his face vanished instantly.
He had expected some legendary weapon or god-tier skill.
Instead, the system gave him pain resistance.
Inside a coffin.
Next to a murderous ghost bride.
"...Actually," he muttered, "that might be useful."
The memory of his throat being ripped open was still painfully fresh.
Even after revival, phantom pain lingered in his nerves.
The Death Draw System wasn’t random.
It rewarded survival potential.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Beside him—
The ghost bride suddenly moved again.
Her pitch-black eyes opened silently.
This time, Shen Yu didn’t panic.
He observed her carefully instead.
Pale skin.
Crimson wedding robes.
Long black hair covering half her face.
And fingers sharp enough to tear through flesh like paper.
A Silver-rank horror entity.
Something ordinary beginners would never survive.
The bride tilted her head unnaturally.
"You’re alive AGAIN!."
Her voice sounded colder this time.
As if something about him disturbed her.
Shen Yu smiled nervously.
"Technically speaking... yes."
The ghost bride stared.
Then her expression slowly twisted.
"Noisy."
The air temperature dropped violently.
The coffin walls trembled.
A pressure like invisible hands crushed down on Shen Yu from all directions.
The bride attacked again.
This time, Shen Yu watched carefully.
Fast.
Too fast.
Her fingers flashed toward his eyes—
CRACK.
Darkness swallowed him instantly.
[Death Confirmed.]
[Revival Consumed: 1]
[Remaining Revivals: 999+]
Shen Yu opened his eyes once more.
The familiar coffin ceiling greeted him.
His body had completely regenerated.
Another system notification appeared.
[Card Draw Available.]
"...Again?"
He almost laughed.
The system really rewarded every death.
No cooldown.
No penalties.
No limits except revival count.
Slowly, Shen Yu turned his head toward the ghost bride.
She was still lying motionless beside him before the loop restarted fully.
Like an NPC resetting after each death.
His grin widened.
"Miss Ghost..."
The bride’s eyes opened again.
This time, she moved faster.
But Shen Yu was already prepared.
He deliberately shouted.
"HEY—"
SCREEECH!!
The bride’s jaw split open unnaturally.
Her hair exploded outward like thousands of black snakes.
Sharp strands pierced straight through Shen Yu’s chest, arms, and skull.
The pain was unbearable.
Yet—
[Pain Resistance Activated.]
The agony lessened slightly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
As blood poured from his mouth, Shen Yu forced himself to observe.
Noise amplified her aggression dramatically.
That meant sound was definitely the trigger condition.
Good.
Information gained.
Then he died again.
[Death Confirmed.]
[Card Draw Available.]
"Draw."
A second card appeared.
[Obtained: Strength +1]
Shen Yu burst into laughter.
This was absurd.
He could literally farm deaths for rewards.
Most players feared horror dungeons.
For him?
This place was becoming a treasure vault.
Any normal player would have gone insane by now.
But Shen Yu’s eyes only grew brighter.
Because every death made him stronger.
[Card Draw Complete.]
[Obtained: Agility +1]
[Card Draw Complete.]
[Obtained: Silver Armor Fragment]
[Card Draw Complete.]
[Obtained: Skill — Basic Observation]
The rewards improved steadily.
At the same time—
The ghost bride’s expression changed.
At first, she had been murderous.
Then confused.
Now?
She looked disturbed.
Because no matter how many times she killed him—
He always came back.
Again.
Again.
Again.
The coffin smelled even worse after the twentieth death.
Blood.
Rot.
Burned incense.
And somehow... embarrassment.
Shen Yu lay flat inside the cramped wooden coffin with his hands folded peacefully over his chest like a corpse attending his own funeral.
Beside him, the ghost bride trembled violently.
Not from rage.
From emotional damage.
"You’re crying already?" Shen asked softly. "Wow. Your cold ghost-girl persona shattered way faster than expected."
The bride’s pale face twitched.
Black tears slowly slid down her cheeks.
"You..." she whispered shakily. "You are the worst human I have ever met."
"Aw, sis, don’t say that." Shen Yu grinned. "Come on. Hit me one more time. Promise this is the last one."
"That is what you said twelve deaths ago!"
"Details."
The bride scooted backward until her back hit the coffin wall.
Which was impressive considering there was barely enough room for two people to breathe.
"No!" she hissed. "Don’t come closer! I’ll tell you how to clear the dungeon! I’ll tell you everything!"
Shen’s eyes lit up.
"Oh? Negotiation phase already?"
"Yes! Yes!" the ghost bride cried desperately. "Just stop dying in front of me!"
Shen Yu looked genuinely touched.
Then he sighed dramatically.
"Sis... quitting halfway is disrespectful to the grind."
The bride stared at him in disbelief.
"The... what?"
"The grind." Shen pointed upward wisely. "A true player never abandons free loot."
"You are farming your own deaths!"
"And business is booming."
The ghost bride nearly choked.
"You’re supposed to be the terrifying one here!"
"I was," Shen Yu admitted. "For about six seconds."
The ghost bride grabbed her head with both hands.
"This dungeon had a zero percent clear rate..."
"And now it has me."
"That’s the problem!"
Shen Yu suddenly snapped his fingers.
"Oh right. I wanted to test something."
The bride immediately recoiled.
"No."
"What do you mean no?"
"I know that tone now."
"You know my tones already?" Shen Yu gasped dramatically. "Sis, we’re getting closer."
"STOP CALLING ME SIS!"
Her scream shook the coffin.
The temperature instantly dropped below freezing.
Dark mist leaked from her body.
Her hair floated upward like black snakes underwater. ƒreewebɳovel.com
A normal player would have died from fear alone.
Shen Yu, however, looked impressed.
Shen Yu suddenly reached for the sharp broken wood near the coffin’s inner edge.
The bride’s eyes widened.
"...What are you doing?"
"Science."
"That answer terrifies me."
Before she could react—
STAB.
Shen Yu drove the splinter straight into his throat.
Blood sprayed across the coffin lid.
The ghost bride screamed.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!"
Shen Yu gave her a thumbs up while choking on blood.
Shen Yu died for the twenty-first time.
[Death Confirmed.]
[Painful Death Bonus Triggered.]
[Additional Draw Granted.]
Shen Yu revived instantly.
The bride slapped both hands over her face.
"No... no no no no... absolutely not..."
"Oh!" Shen flexed his neck experimentally. "That’s useful."
"You killed yourself!"
"Technically," Shin corrected, "I conducted research."
The ghost bride stared at him with hollow eyes.
"I used to scare people for a living."
"And now?"
"Now I’m babysitting a suicidal raccoon."
Shen burst into laughter.
"HAHA— okay wow, that one was good."
"Please leave."
"Can’t. Need better drops."
The bride looked upward as if praying for divine intervention.
Unfortunately for her, the heavens seemed equally entertained.
Two cards materialized this time.
Shen Yu’s eyes widened.
"Oh?"
The first card flipped over.
[Obtained: Silent Step Lv.1]
[Effect: Reduces movement noise significantly.]
The second card glowed silver.
Far brighter than the previous ones.
[Obtained: Silver-Rank Skill]
[Skill Name: Grave Robber]
Shen Yu sat upright instantly.
"Now THAT sounds useful."
The card dissolved into light and entered his body.
Information flooded his mind immediately.
Grave Robber — Silver Skill
Allows temporary theft of target equipment or items after fatal contact.
Shen Yu froze.
Then slowly...
Very slowly...
He turned toward the ghost bride.
His eyes landed on her embroidered red shoes.
Ancient.
Elegant.
And clearly supernatural equipment.
The bride suddenly felt something deeply wrong.
Shen Yu smiled warmly.
"Sis."
The ghost bride stared cautiously.
"Would you mind killing me one more time?"
